Clarion University President Karen M. Whitney has appointed Glen Reid, director of public safety, as director of emergency management, effective Jan. 7. In that role, Reid will work across the entire university to ensure continuity and a best-practice approach to emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery.

While she can’t guarantee that crises don’t occur, Whitney said she can ensure that the university, its employees and students are prepared to act in an emergency or crisis.

The university has an emergency response plan, but Whitney said Reid will look at it to see if there is more that can or should be done. Revisiting the plan has been on her mind for a few months, but the Connecticut shootings inspired her to act now.

“I believe as president, my top priority is to organize ourselves in a way that, to the greatest extent possible, allows us to work, teach, research and serve in a safety-conscious workplace,” Whitney said.

Reid will work collaboratively, across the campuses, to:

Update and implement an emergency-crisis plan;

Prepare all employees and students to act if an emergency/crisis occurs;

Designate employees to respond to an incident; and

Develop and implement a plan to provide support and care to those affected after an emergency/crisis.

“This is a great effort and one that I believe Glen Reid is uniquely qualified to undertake,” Whitney said. “Glen has a long career in law enforcement in a variety of settings, and emergency planning is a strength of hers.”

Reid said she looks forward to beginning work in her new position. “This is something that I’ve been interested in for some time.”

As Reid assumes her new responsibilities, she will step down as chief of police, a position she has held since 2008. Sgt. Marcie Trombetta will serve as acting chief of police while a search for a new director is conducted.

Reid graduated from Point Park University with a bachelor’s degree in public administration and from Duquesne University with a master’s degree in leadership and business ethics. Before coming to Clarion, Reid was chief of police for Penn State Greater Allegheny, where she also served as an adjunct faculty member, teaching courses in criminal justice and political science. Reid is an instructor at the Police Academy of Allegheny County. Reid has also provided patrol and security in Pittsburgh locations, such as the G20 Summit.